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The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Maryland's largest labor union, takes exception to a federal prosecutor's charge that legal protections offered to correctional officers go too far.

Patrick Moran, president of AFSCME Maryland, helped push legislation through the General Assembly in 2010 that created a State Correctional Officers' Bill of Rights. Union leaders disagree with the notion that the rights go too far.

"The only people who are questioning this are the FBI, and my question is, we know their agents have basic rights and they have a process, and this is just due process," Moran said.

WBAL-TV 11 News has learned the indictment has prompted the House Judiciary Committee to schedule a public inquiry on the matter on May 8.

Baltimore City Delegate Curt Anderson, D-District 43, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, told 11 News that he asked for the hearing. He said the list of witnesses will include state Public Safety and Correctional Services Secretary Gary Maynard.

Baltimore County Delegate Adrienne Jones, D-District 10, one of the bill's co-sponsors, suggested lawmakers may need to take another look.

In a statement to 11 News, Jones said, "This is an unfortunate incident; however, it would be inappropriate to comment on a matter currently under investigation. As this matter makes its way through the courts and is reviewed by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the state Legislature may need to look at (House Bill) 1090 from the 2010 Legislative Session, to make certain that the rights of correctional officers are preserved at the same time the important rights of the citizens of the state of Maryland are maintained."

The officers are protected by the correctional officers' bill of rights, which federal investigators have determined has created a perception that no one can be fired.

"This was something that was negotiated between the agency and us, and they felt that was OK and was workable," Moran said.

In the federal affidavit that led to the indictment, the FBI states, "to complete this discipline process within 30 days has proven to be very difficult. So, cases are dropped."

White fathered children with four of the 13 officers accused in the indictment. As state employees, they are eligible for the state's health care plan to cover their pregnancies, and it extends to their children fathered by a convict while serving time in jail.

Moran echoed the public statements made earlier by Maynard that those charged are a few bad apples.

"A number of officers are acting poorly. Acting on the outskirts of the law is not a reflection of the work these 7,500 other people do every single day," Moran said.

Based on wire interceptions and interviews, the FBI discovered corrections officers now have no fear of being disciplined. Investigators determined that "it is well-known to corrections officers that it is very unlikely that they will be fired or severely disciplined for smuggling contraband or fraternizing with inmates."

"That's a culture that existed before the bill of rights was put into place. That's the fact of the matter, and that culture is the result of potentially lax management," Moran said.

The AFSCME union and its entities have supported Gov. Martin O'Malley, having contributed about $43,000 to his campaign since 2006.